I've been putting together a list of guys I'd like us to draft. Let me know what you think of the mock.. I know it's still pretty early so a lot of these names may not be too known yet. Some I haven't even gotten a chance to watch.

Some of my reasoning, with Dannell Ellerbe being an free agent and with Ray Lewis headed for retirement (IMO)... I think that'll leave us thin inside. We'll probably sign a cheap veteran ILB, but like the TE position a few seasons ago, I think we could see (in this scenario) the team double dipping at the ILB spot.

2012 Baltimore Ravens NFL Mock Draft

Round 1

Quote:

Round 1, Pick 28:The Baltimore Ravens select:Dion Jordan, E.T., Oregon Ducks6'7”, 243 lbs, Game Forty: 4.56, Arm Length: n/a, Hand Size: n/a2012 Stats: 7 GS/7 GP29 TTs: 20 solo, 9 asst, 7 TFL- 26 yds, 5 scks- 23 yds; 1 PBU, 0 INTs- 0 yds; 2 FFCareer Stats: -- GS/ -- GP106 TTs: 67 solo, 39 asst, 25.5 TFL- 130 yds, 13.5 scks- 96 yds; 2 PBU, 0 INTs- 0 yds; 3 FFsDion Jordan vs. Fresno StateStrengths
- Excellent explosive ability off the snap to blow by OTs.
- Superb length allows him to cover a lot of distance.
- Long arms makes it hard for OTs to get into his body and control him.
- Very quick hand usage when battling OL at the POA- getting into his frame to block is a difficult task.
- Can reportedly touch a basketball rim standing straight... should make him incredibly effective at batting down passes in the NFL.
- Athletic versatility. He can effectively rush the passer on the line, standing up, cover TEs, cover WRs, and drop back into zone... in fact he has a lot of experience in this role.
- Strong frame. Doesn't get bullied at the POA, tends to do a nice job setting the edge against the run.
- High motor player, he's consistently active on tape and looks to chase plays down even when it's not to his side of the field or the runner is well ahead of him.
- Has faced adversity. Mistake in HS left him severely burned and cause him to miss most of his senior season... but battled back and eventually became on of the most gifted and hard working players in college football.

Weaknesses
- Doesn't possess the frame you look for with someone his size- is about 20-30 lbs lighter than his optimum frame size.
- He's strictly a finesse pass rusher at this point as he doesn't have the power to his game to be effective in that area.

Grade: A = (4.0 pts)
Dion Jordan is what we need on the Ravens defense. We've struggled with a pass rush for virtually too long. Jordan might not provide the power rushing aspect to his game but we have that with both Suggs/Upshaw. Jordan can come in and be a 3rd down specialist. He'd be a terror off the edge opposite Suggs. His versatility would also make him very useful in scheming our blitzes. His ability to man cover WRs (to a certain extent) could allow us to utilize some chaotic blitzes. Jordan's size and athletic ability would also be incredibly ideal in matching up against some of the king sized TEs like Gradkowski and Graham.

Weaknesses
- Not the ideal playing weight you look for inside, but shouldn't be much of a concern.
- Has had two ACL tears in his knees that will cause him to fall in the draft. Tore both his left and his right ACL.
- Could he be too outspoken for his own good, might this be a problem at the NFL level that could get him and the team into hot water?
- Has good athleticism, but doesn't display the elite physical traits.

Grade: A- (3.7 pts)
Mauti makes me a little nervous. If he hadn't torn his ACL twice, there might be a chance he visits the first round (maybe), but he'll probably fall in the draft due to durability concerns and less than elite athleticism. And while I love the talent that Mauti brings to the table, I love his intangibles just as much- he'd be the perfect addition to our defense to get it back to where it needs to be in the front 7... but having two serious knee injuries like he's had concerns me going forward. But durability concerns aside... you can't argue with the value he provides in the 2nd.

Grade: B (3.0 pts)
There is no particular film on Klein and I haven't actually seen him play. But from his measurables, his accomplishments, and his stats... he seems like he would be an intriguing option. He's a small school prospect, so he could fall further in the draft than perhaps his talent would indicate. The Ravens could be losing both Lewis and Ellerbe heading into next season... so it might not be a bad idea to double dip into the position... as well as upgrade the talent level already there.

Strengths
- Incredible motor- not many DL are going to pursue plays and hustle to the ball carrier wherever he goes.
- Has astounding production as a DT, just an all around playmaker.
- Has good athleticism for a DL.
- Good penetrating ability.
- Strong asset along a Maryland defense that looks much improved over the previous season.

Weaknesses
- Doesn't posses the ideal height and length to play 34 DE... and isn't the wide-bodied and stout NT you look for... is a bit of a tweener in that respect.
- Has good athleticism, but certainly not elite or even great. His physical traits are nothing to drool over.

Grade: B+ (3.3 pts)
Vellano is a Ravens type of draft selection. He's a guy that might not be the greatest athlete you've ever seen, but he's a player that shows passion, intensity, and production to the table. Vellano should go higher than this but between his little more than marginal athletic ability and his size... along with the likely combine studs that will come along the way... he'll probably be passed up by inferior performers at the collegiate level. With the Ravens, I'm not sure exactly whether Vellano fits in as a NT on pass rushing downs, as a 34 DE, or both... but he's a guy that we'll find a way to utilize on the defensive side of the ball. He's going to make plays.
Player Comparison: Kelly Gregg- Baltimore RavensValue Range: Late 3rd

Weaknesses
- Production could be better.
- Not exactly a playmaker over the air at this point, that will have to improve.

Grade: B- (2.7 pts)
Thomas provides the defense with another special teamer and more depth at the safety position. He has the elite measurables that with the right coaching could lend him to being an impact player along our defense.

Weaknesses
- Tends to stare down his receivers.
- Displays a tendency to make up his mind about a throw before the snap.

Grade: C (2.0 pts)
It's the last pick in the draft for us (in this mock) and we've already added plenty of positions via this draft that could benefit special teams... so there was no need to take a flyer on a guy late. Our WR situation isn't going to improve via a 7th round pick. The OL could do better but we invested in Big Luke and with a young line already, there wasn't much of a need to go back to that well. So the only spot left was QB. Tyrod Taylor didn't exactly inspire confidence within me after the preseason. We could use an upgrade.. or at least a confidence break IMO.

Looks pretty good to me. And I think mock drafts are fine at any time. Especially coming off a bad loss. They give us chance to focus on something other than the game, and to wonder how much better the team will be next season.

I've been watching some Dion Jordan highlights, and he really looks like the sort of explosive defensive playmaker the Ravens have been crying out for this season.

I don't know much about the other guys on the list, but drafting two ILBs wouldn't be a bad idea at all, after looking at how the defense has performed this season. McClain and Ellerbe are probably never going to be anything more than solid, which really is what you'd expect of UDFAs most of the time.

The only change I might make is looking at CBs, depending on how Williams and Smith shape up._________________

Eh, it's not how I would go. Haven't seen much college tape to be honest, but unless Dion Jordan is a surefire pass rusher (which I don't necessarily see from that tape, but I see a lot of potential though), I'd rather take a chance on more of a 3-4 DE like Margus Hunt, than take another pass rush OLB type. I want to see what we have from Upshaw, and I think with Suggs hopefully healthy all year, I think I'd feel pretty good with Suggs on one side and Upshaw and Kruger manning the other side. I think we would be better off having another 3-4 DL to put into the rotation so we can sub in McPhee as strictly a pass rush guy that can come in fresh off the bench.

That being said, I'd like to see some more of Dion Jordan's ability to cover because that would definitely bring his value up a lot for me. A 6'7 guy that can rush the passer or cover would be amazing to add to this defense. Like you said, it would help against those tall, athletic TE's that teams are going for these days. If he has the ability to cover and can add some pass rush moves, he would be amazing on this defense. He's kind of a taller, longer version of Bruce Irvin, in a way, so I could definitely get excited about that pick.

Jordan is one of my favorite prospects at this point and he is exactly what the defense needs to add to the front-seven. I don't view it as a waste since they just took an OLB with their first pick in the last draft because they are obviously two different kinds of players (Upshaw is a SAM, Jordan is a RUSH that might be able to do some different things).

I'm wary of Mauti because of his knees. Other than that I like him as an ILB a lot. Those are the only two guys I've seen play much but overall I like the direction of the mock.

Jordan I'm iffy on. I go wow watching him rush the passer sometimes. And he looks incredibly fluid for someone his height. Very explosive. But strength doesn't look like a big part of him game and he doesn't impress me in the run game.

Shamarko is the 6th is a steal.

Vellano is a great colege fotball player. No idea where we even play him at. I think he has a chance to be good in a teams four man front but even then it's going o bean uphill climb for him at that size.

I don't know anything about your picks in the 4th, 5th and 7th rounds so I won't comment on them.

I have a feeling that Thomas will be gone by the 6th given his measurables and the fact that he will probably blow up the combine.

The only problem I really have is Mauti in the 2nd given I don't think his draft stock is that high and I think that there would probably be a couple of better ILBs available in the mid-late 2nd. Maybe I just need to watch a little more of him?

On the topic of ILBs, what do you think of Alec Ogletree (Georgia), Shane Skov (Stanford), Arthur Brown (K-State) and Patrick Larrimore (UCLA) for us?_________________Stone85 & mike23md on the sig!

Slightly off topic but Scott Wright has the Ravens taking Brown with the 27th pick in his mock draft that he updated today. I've said it before but he would be a really nice addition for the Ravens and if they're going to target a MLB with a 1st round pick then Brown is the guy I want (assuming Te'o is gone).

Overall, I like it. My favorite pick is obviously Klein in the 3rd, as I have stated my mancrush on him in the draft prospects thread.

And when you look at his stats, several pop out at you, particularly the number of total tackles he has in his career and that he's scored 4 TDs in 3.5 seasons. I think he compares pretty favorable to someone like Chad Greenway, albeit without the pass rush skills.

With that in mind, I'm not entirely sure he gets to the end of the 3rd, so in your draft scenario, it probably would be an either/or choice in round 2 between him and Mauti. Of those 2, Klein has produced more, played more pass defense, and is a little thicker, so he would be my choice.

I would also like to get a S prospect a little earlier than you have us selecting one here, and maybe an OL who isn't 2-3 years away from at least being competent backup...I'm jaded by the Harewood (and possible Gradkowski) experiment, and would prefer someone more NFL ready even if it means sacrificing a little upside down the road.

The only change I might make is looking at CBs, depending on how Williams and Smith shape up.

I considered the possibility of adding another corner, but there was never a case until later in the draft where I felt a corner was going to be in the BPA category... and we just selected Chykie Brown and Asa Jackson as late round corners who we hope can develop into key contributors for us... and so far, Brown has looked pretty good. And earlier in the draft... I had to keep reminding myself that our corner play should only improve with Smith getting more experience playing. It's still too early to give up on his potential... he sat out most of his rookie season due to a high ankle sprain... and he came into the NFL coming from a strict press-man system... most of his struggles have been in regards to double moves coming off of playing in off-man coverage... Smith is still very much a work-in-progress.. experience will be the best teacher. No corner that we take is likely going to improve our current situation.

And while I doubt Cary Williams is back in 2013 and beyond, I think we should still see plenty of our young corners plus Corey Graham... and it's hard to imagine them being much more inconsistent than Williams has been. Improving our pass rush is the best way to improve our secondary.

RAVINGMADD wrote:

Eh, it's not how I would go. Haven't seen much college tape to be honest, but unless Dion Jordan is a surefire pass rusher (which I don't necessarily see from that tape, but I see a lot of potential though), I'd rather take a chance on more of a 3-4 DE like Margus Hunt, than take another pass rush OLB type. I want to see what we have from Upshaw, and I think with Suggs hopefully healthy all year, I think I'd feel pretty good with Suggs on one side and Upshaw and Kruger manning the other side. I think we would be better off having another 3-4 DL to put into the rotation so we can sub in McPhee as strictly a pass rush guy that can come in fresh off the bench.

1. Dion Jordan has been pretty efficient as a pass rusher. He plays the drop-end position for the Oregon Ducks... which is perhaps one of the most versatile defensive positions in any defensive scheme at any level... not many players can excel at it.. and especially excel at it at the same level that Jordan has been able to. I'm not quite sure what you mean by "surefire pass rusher" but Jordan has all the tools to be elite in a system that utilized him as a strict pass rusher. Consider that he's only rushing the passer maybe... 70% as much as some of the other DEs in college football... his 5 sacks aren't going to look as eye-popping as some (heck, even then, a guy like Mingo rushes the passer more than Jordan, yet has two less sacks), but when he's rushing the passer he's very effective in getting to the QB.

2. Honestly, I have a feeling that Margus Hunt will be a guy that will go top 15 in the draft because of his size and what I expect him to run at the combine... I think he sees a pre-draft rise similar to that of Chandler Jones... it honestly wouldn't surprise me if he goes in the top 10 picks in the draft. He's an olympic athlete, imposing size/length ratio, has a good story to him... and probably most importantly... he plays a premium position... with very little impact players elsewhere... so like the Hunger games, I expect him to Catch Fire (some of you will get that joke, some won't). Really, Sheldon Richardson is Hunt's only competition at impact 5-tech... and he doesn't have that freakish size. I'd predict a rise up boards for Dion Jordan if it weren't for an assembly line of similar H/W/S specimens likely to be in this draft class with Montgomery, Mingo, Buchanan, etc.

3. In terms of Upshaw and giving him an opportunity, I am. I don't think you quite understand how I expect the Ravens to use Jordan. I think Upshaw is undoubtedly going to take over in JJ's old role as SAM... only I expect him to offer a little more pass rushing and explosiveness to the position. With Jordan, he could start his career off as a 3rd down specialist taking over for Upshaw (who tends to get winded and has endurance problems anyway). I think he'd also give Upshaw a breather during longer drives. We'll probably have some packages in specifically for either athlete to excel in (assuming we have a creative defensive coordinator). Upshaw and Jordan aren't the same kinds of players, so choosing to pick Jordan doesn't mean we're abandoning Upshaw... it only means we're solidifying the position. And this year is probably our best bet at doing it. A pass rusher like Dion Jordan in a normal draft might go top 15, but having so many similar pass rushers in a draft should give us a great chance at selecting Jordan... who IMO is the best edge threat I've seen in this draft outside of Sam Montgomery... haven't watched much of Jarvis Jones though, so maybe 3rd. Jordan is sort of like Jimmy Smith... you see a prototypical player at a premium position in your lap... you've got to take him IMO._________________

Jordan I'm iffy on. I go wow watching him rush the passer sometimes. And he looks incredibly fluid for someone his height. Very explosive. But strength doesn't look like a big part of him game and he doesn't impress me in the run game.

Shamarko is the 6th is a steal.

Vellano is a great colege fotball player. No idea where we even play him at. I think he has a chance to be good in a teams four man front but even then it's going o bean uphill climb for him at that size.

That Azusa tackle has me intrigued.

I'd agree with that, but I also thought he held up well. He wasn't like a Paul Kruger getting abused up front. He didn't eat through blockers or have terrific leg strength to push them back, but setting the edge, definitely didn't look to be a true weakness. I think his weight limits his ability in that area, but his technique looks good and he makes plays against the run. At his weight, he sets the edge better than plenty of guys packing 30lbs more to their frame that I've seen.

With Vellano... I don't know where we play him exactly, but he just seems like a Ravens type player to me. I watch him and I see Kelly Gregg. My thinking behind how we might utilize him is this:
1. On rushing downs, we line him up at DE opposite Ngata. I like his athleticism... I think its good enough to play DE and he has the technique/hustle you look for to take advantage of 1on1 blocks and make plays. He may lack the ideal height you look for, but Glenn Dorsey has played the position with much success (when not hurt) in Kansas City... and if there is ever a case where you can say a DL has great 'instincts' when he's not rushing the passer... I think Vellano displays them. He has a knack for finding the football.

2. On pass rushing downs, I say we slide him inside to NT... put McPhee in at DE, with Ngata still out there and suddenly we should have a lineup that could do damage.

3. When we go 43, I think we could line Vellano up at NG and have Ngata play DE... to complete the idea: I'd line Suggs up at RDE, Dion Jordan up at LDE (or vice-versa depending on matchups)... go Upshaw as our SLB, Mauti at MLB, and Klein at WLB... in fact it wouldn't surprise me if we decided to run a 43 base as this draft would really put us in a position where our personnel fits it very well._________________

If Jordan was any more of a sure-thing he wouldn't get past the top 10 picks. Picking where the Ravens likely will be there is almost always going to be some question marks about a pass-rusher that drops that far. The biggest thing with Jordan is his physicality but he definitely has the frame to add some muscle and I don't think it would affect his athleticism too much. Not only would he be able to spell Upshaw and give the team some different looks but he would be able to give Suggs some snaps off too. He just turned 30 and he's been in the league for quite a while. I wouldn't count on Suggs performing at a consistently high level for too much longer.

I don't know anything about your picks in the 4th, 5th and 7th rounds so I won't comment on them.

I have a feeling that Thomas will be gone by the 6th given his measurables and the fact that he will probably blow up the combine.

The only problem I really have is Mauti in the 2nd given I don't think his draft stock is that high and I think that there would probably be a couple of better ILBs available in the mid-late 2nd. Maybe I just need to watch a little more of him?

On the topic of ILBs, what do you think of Alec Ogletree (Georgia), Shane Skov (Stanford), Arthur Brown (K-State) and Patrick Larrimore (UCLA) for us?

1. I agree. But you've got to cut me some slack, it's early in the draft season and I needed a steal.

But really, I was just scouting some of the guys the consensus ranked lower at their respective positions... and Thomas was a guy that fit the bill. I remembered seeing some of him when scouting Phillip Thomas last mock season. But yeah, Thomas is an intriguing guy and he probably goes in that 4th round area if I want to be honest with myself. If he truly stuns in the 40, could be a 3rd round guy.

2. I've seen tape of all of the above guys outside of Patrick Larrimore... so I can't speak about him at this point, though I'll get back to you when I do. Now in terms of Ogletree... I honestly don't see the hype on the guy. I've seen him listed as a 1st round guy by some mock sites and by some fans... but he just doesn't do it for me. When I watch him I don't see elite instincts. He gets caught in clutter too often and when he's making plays, it usually looks like he's untouched... and not untouched in the, he's knifing through blockers to make a play, but in the way where his huge defensive tackles are keeping blockers off him and allowing him to roam around to make plays.

I'm not impressed with his athleticism, especially for his thin frame. His speed isn't ideal, probably in the 4.7 to 4.8 area, but the bigger issue IMO is his agility and explosion. Brandon Spikes is a guy that isn't fast, but he's explosive... so put him in a 10 yard setting and his explosiveness can usually get him in good position to make a tackle. But Ogletree while faster than Spikes, doesn't have the same explosive ability. So when he's going sideline to sideline... it's like you're weight for dial up internet (over-exagerration). But really in comparison to guys like Te'O, Brown, and Mosley... you don't see a comparable sideline to sideline ability with Ogletree. So for a guy who doesn't have the elite instincts I look for, doesn't disengage from blockers as well as the top guys, and who doesn't have the ideal size... you'd at least think he'd be a physical marvel... along the lines of a Zach Brown from last draft season... but instead, he's not.

Now what does he do well? Well I think he does deliver a blow on contact. For his size, he brings the hit stick. His instincts aren't bad. They're not elite, but when he recognizes a play... he reacts. Maybe what he really lacks isn't elite instincts, but an elite "feel for the game"... I tend to look at the two as inter-related usually, but in this case... they may not be one in the same. I think he's clearly on the 2nd tier of ILBs, but even then I'd take Mauti, Skov, and Andrew Jackson above him... and those are just out of the guys I've seen on tape. I've heard really good things about Klein (which along with his production is why I included him here)... and there are plenty of other LBers I still need to check out (Larrimore being one of them). I see a 3rd round LBer... I'm much more impressed with Baccari Rambo, the big DL John Jenkins and the little I've seen of Jarvis Jones to this point.. but maybe that will change.

3. In terms of Arthur Brown... he was literally in this mock, literally had wrote up his prospect profile and everything... but then I realized how unrealistic it would be to have him in the 2nd.. then just deleted it all. I see Brown as an early 2nd kind of guy, he's right with CJ Mosley as my 2nd best ILB prospect in this class... so for him to be there in the late 2nd, just didn't jive enough with reality- even in a mock where a little leeway might be given. Hence the switch to Mauti. But in terms of a breakdown... here is what I wrote about Brown in the draft thread, followed by the prospect profile of Brown I made before I switched it out:

Quote:

2. Arthur Brown, K State (4.47e forty)-
This guy is a player. He's not very big, but neither was Lewis this season. Brown is the best athlete/instincts combination of this group. He has legit high 4.4 to low 4.5 kind of speed... and his quickness looks to be a strength. This is a guy that trusts his eyes and tends to shift between OL to make plays. Even at his size, when he gets blocked, he's able to shed well and make plays. Late 1st/Early 2nd.

Weaknesses
- Undersized LBer. He has decent height, but doesn't possess the ideal weight to his frame that you look for in an ILB.
- Not stout when blockers get their hands on him... they will push him back unless he sheds.
- Can sometimes get caught over-pursuing because he trusts his instincts so much.

Grade: B+ (3.3 pts)
Arthur Brown is a playmaker at linebacker. His speed and agility combined with his instincts makes him a big time playmaker. He lacks the ideal size.. and doesn't have the same hit stick as some of the more prominent LBers, but he's usually a sure tackler and has the coverage skills that will make him an every down LBer at the next level.

Player Comparison: LaVonte DavidValue Range: Early 2nd

TBC..._________________

Last edited by diamondbull424 on Sat Oct 27, 2012 1:21 pm; edited 1 time in total

I don't know anything about your picks in the 4th, 5th and 7th rounds so I won't comment on them.

I have a feeling that Thomas will be gone by the 6th given his measurables and the fact that he will probably blow up the combine.

The only problem I really have is Mauti in the 2nd given I don't think his draft stock is that high and I think that there would probably be a couple of better ILBs available in the mid-late 2nd. Maybe I just need to watch a little more of him?

On the topic of ILBs, what do you think of Alec Ogletree (Georgia), Shane Skov (Stanford), Arthur Brown (K-State) and Patrick Larrimore (UCLA) for us?

This is sort of the 2nd part, the other post was starting to get quite long... even for my standards.

But anyways, Skov was my 4th ranked ILB prospect initially, but Mauti has surpassed him (more on him later), but here's what I wrote about Skov previously:

diamondbull424 wrote:

5. Shayne Skov, Stanford (4.78e forty)-
No question that when he was healthy he was the best linebacker on the Stanford defense and the leader. When healthy, he was very explosive when going up field... his ability to explode into the backfield reminded me of Mychal Kendricks from last season. Upon observing more games, he's not as fast as I thought he was initially and he's definitely the worst athlete (speed and agility) of the guys in my top 5, but when healthy his 10 yard split is either the best or second only to Arthur Brown. He's just so explosive when he's attacking. He looks to be the best blitzing ILB candidate in this top 5. When he sits back and waits for plays to come to him, I thought he could do better taking on and shedding blocks for his size, but it wasn't a problem. His tackling is similar to Brown's tackling, both behind Te'O and Mosley. He's also coming back from an ACL and MCL tear (left knee) this season so he's not at 100%. Before that injury he also had a knee sleeve on his right knee, so I'm a little concerned that he could be a sufferer of soft tissue injuries at the next level. I have him below Jackson for those durability concerns. Late 2nd/Early 3rd.

And lastly, after seeing more tape on Mauti... I believe I previously underrated his athletic ability in the draft thread. It's hard to pinpoint Mauti's game speed, but it's certainly not the 4.82e time I posted in the draft thread. It's honestly probably somewhere in between the 4.82 time and the 4.61 time I posted above. The thing is, it always seems like he has enough speed to make the play, so on some plays he's using more of his speed than on others... he plays so under control. The more I see of him the more I like him. His instincts shine through right away, I think he has the best instincts in this class that I've seen. And his technique as a linebacker is phenomenal... he's so polished... While I believe it true that Brown probably has the best instincts/athlete ratio in this class, I think Mauti has the best instincts/technique ratio. He's a can't miss LBer in terms of on-the-field ability. The only thing that I think could make him "miss" is his durability concerns. Honestly, his ability on tape look like they belong to an early 2nd round linebacker... and that's not even counting his elite intangibles. He's the type of LBer that can truly lead a defense... not just be a lead by example type. Mauti is the type that can inspire a winning culture with his leadership nature- he's a general. The only other true general I see in this class ATM is Manti Te'O... and he'll be long gone by the time we pick most likely.

The only reason I think Mauti falls to us here in the 2nd is because of his durability issues. Besides his weight (which could be 10 lbs higher ideally), I don't really see any true weaknesses to his game._________________

I considered the possibility of adding another corner, but there was never a case until later in the draft where I felt a corner was going to be in the BPA category... and we just selected Chykie Brown and Asa Jackson as late round corners who we hope can develop into key contributors for us... and so far, Brown has looked pretty good. And earlier in the draft... I had to keep reminding myself that our corner play should only improve with Smith getting more experience playing. It's still too early to give up on his potential... he sat out most of his rookie season due to a high ankle sprain... and he came into the NFL coming from a strict press-man system... most of his struggles have been in regards to double moves coming off of playing in off-man coverage... Smith is still very much a work-in-progress.. experience will be the best teacher. No corner that we take is likely going to improve our current situation.

Hopefully Chykie Brown keeps improving, and I'd like to see Asa Jackson get a look in before the season ends. I do have high hopes still for Smith, but I'm not convinced Cary Williams is anywhere near good enough. Perhaps it's the system Pees is asking him to play, but if so, the Ravens need to address that.

One thing I've been thinking about for a while, and seems perhaps more worthy of consideration now, is the idea of converting Webb to Safety after Ed retires. Previously, it seemed crazy because of Webb's abilities at corner, but with both knees surgically reconstructed, it might benefit him in the long run. And if Smith, Brown, Graham and Jackson could prove themselves to be a good CB group over the next eight months or so, I think it's something that the Ravens might look at. Webb and Ed Reed are about the same size, have a lot of similar qualities and definitely know how to get to the ball.

That would remove the need to find a Safety in the draft, because Christian Thompson will hopefully be able to understudy for Pollard, and eventually replace him._________________

I was dead-set against moving Webb to safety before but now with his second major knee injury I'm not so sure. He did eventually recover and excel after the first one (took him a full season but he was injured really late in the season so it wasn't that surprising) but I'm not guaranteeing that this recovery will go as well. I would wait until we see him back on the field before making this kind of move though. Webb is (or was) just too good of a CB to give up his coverage capabilities and move him to safety without knowing for sure how he's going to come back from this injury.